4 Vegan Travel Tips as You Explore the World

May 01, 2019

Making any type of diet change can be difficult, but not many people think about how they’ll continue their dietary lifestyles on the road. If you follow a vegan diet, in particular, you won’t have much flexibility or convenience when it comes to eating while you’re traveling. You may have to do some extra work prior to hitting the road. Take note of these vegan travel tips to make sure you’re able to stay dedicated to your plant-based lifestyle.

Be Prepared

Before you travel to your destination, prepare for the trip by researching where you’ll be able to eat and what food should you bring with you. Bring with you the products you use on a daily basis and that may not be available at your destination. However, you don’t want to be traveling with a ton of food—look into local vegan restaurants and stores using resources like Happy Cow, which will show you vegan-friendly spots all over the world.

Bring Extra Vegan Snacks

To ensure you aren’t forced to eat foods you don’t trust, pack plenty of vegan snacks. You don’t want to take too much time out of your vacation to find something with the proper nutrients and ingredients, so you’ll need vegan-friendly snacks to take on the go. American airports are notoriously unfriendly to the vegan lifestyle. Some offer fast food options, while others offer none at all. A cheap bag of chips and retrofitted fast food is a poor offering for vegans on the go.

Stay at a Place with a Kitchen

Eating out while traveling can sometimes be difficult if you’re a vegan. Some destinations may have amazing, but pricey vegan restaurants. If you're traveling on a budget, try this option out. Bringing along snacks is a good idea, but you could also try to stay in a place with a kitchen. This way, you can make meals yourself and know exactly what you’re putting in your food.

Communicate with Others

Our final vegan travel tip is for when you’re traveling to another country. There are plenty of apps that allow you to communicate with locals who may not speak your language. Vegan Passport, for example, is “the perfect tool for overcoming the language barrier when communicating your needs to restaurant staff.” If you’re eating out, you definitely don’t want your dietary restrictions to get lost in translation. In addition, there are plenty of vegan travel blogs that offer tips on navigating the local scene and identifying the best vegan restaurants in the area.